IBM and NetGravity announce partnership

Published on August 12, 1998.

IBM Corp. and NetGravity inked a multifaceted deal that includes crossover use and selling for both companies. IBM will begin to use the NetGravity AdServer software manager to manage its advertising for serving, targeting, forecasting and reporting. IBM also will begin hosting NetGravity's new AdCenter, an outsourced service bureau for online ad management product to complement the more full service AdServer product. As a further part of the agreement, both companies will co-market and co-sell each other's Internet software and services. Those crossover products include IBM's net.commerce and NetGravity's AdServer.

``Our business is technology and transactions. Their business is direct marketing and advertising. We don't want to get into their business and they don't want to get into ours. With this (deal), we can help each other,'' said Nancy Faigen, VP-global Web solutions for IBM. ``We're seeing the next wave in Internet maturity where companies are starting to look at marketing and merchandising.''

AdCenter is launching with eight new customers, including Prospect Design Group which will launch CollegeWeb.com on Aug. 17; Maquette/Kitchenette; and Spinner.com.